Falcons Win Playoff to Capture John Piper Intercollegiate Title

Tuesday, September 20

Bowling Green, Ohio

All Day

Bowling Green State University

John Piper Intercollegiate

BGSU Men's Golf Team Winners Presentation

September 20, 2011 | Men's Golf

By: by Matthew Daley, Athletic Communications Intern

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FINAL TEAM LEADERBOARD (.pdf)

FINAL PLAYER LEADERBOARD (.pdf)

FINAL COURSE STATS (.pdf)

PHOTO GALLERY
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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- The Bowling Green State University men's golf team has made a tradition out of team and individual success at their annual home tournament, the John Piper Intercollegiate. That tradition continued in the tournament's 11th edition, which concluded on Tuesday (Sept. 20), as the Falcons won a two-hole playoff to capture the team championship for the third consecutive year.

On a calm, sunny day at Bowling Green's Stone Ridge Golf Club, the Falcons shot a 294 to end the regulation 54 holes tied with Loyola (Ill.) University at 892 (305-293-294). In the sudden-death playoff, Bowling Green and Loyola each had two pars and two bogeys on the first hole to force a second playoff. The Falcons then shot three pars and a bogey on their second attempt, defeating Loyola when the Ramblers could manage only three pars and a double bogey.

Team playoffs are like regulation -- each team's five players compete and the top four scores count towards the final tally.

Cleveland State finished four shots behind BGSU and Loyola after shooting 294 on the final day. Youngstown State and the Indianapolis "A" squad each posted final-round 291s to finish in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Bowling Green's four-man "Orange" team shot progressively better as the tournament wore on. After rounds of 322 and 311 on Monday, the Orange group carded a 307 during the final 18 holes and finished in ninth place with a total of 940.

Individually, the Falcons' three-year streak of tournament medalists came to an end in 2011. However, the team did place three men in the top ten and a fourth in the top 20.

Wes Gates led the Falcon effort with a team-low 220 (75-73-72) and tied for fourth overall, four strokes behind the eventual champion.

Parker Hewit and Charlie Olson each tied for ninth place by carding 222 for the two days. Hewit's Tuesday score (71) was the team's best round of the event. Olson, who led the BGSU "Orange" team, posted a final-round 72 after rounds of 77 and 73 on Monday.

Freshman Joe Cooper earned his first career top-20 in his first John Piper tournament. Cooper secured a final-round 75 to give him a composite 223 and a 13th place tie, following rounds of 76 and 72 on Monday.

Drew Preston, the two-time defending champion of the John Piper, could not keep his crown but did finish in the top half of the field, just outside of the top 20. Preston fired rounds of 76, 77 and 76 to end the week with a 229, good for a 21st place tie.

Chris Melvin shot a 233 (80-75-78) to round out the Falcons' primary group. Bryan Mitchell (236), Torey Brummett (238) and Spencer Berk (244) each played for the Falcons' "Orange" squad.

Loyola's Alex Cusumano won tournament medalist honors with an even-par 216 (76-71-69) effort. Ohio's Paul Grauer earned the tournament's low individual round score by posting a 66 on Tuesday. His six-under-par performance was one stroke shy of the tournament record for 18 holes.

Bowling Green's next action takes place in Louisville, Ky. next Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 26-27) when the Falcons compete in the Cardinal Intercollegiate. The team then takes a week off prior to concluding their fall schedule back in Kentucky for the Bearcat Invitational.